Trends in scientific publication on ethnozoology: Brazil’s highlight in international science

Abstract

We investigate the trends of the scientific publication on ethno-zoological studies by using the word 'Ethnozoology' in the Web of Science database. We associate the number of published documents with the timescale, publication sources, countries and affiliations, authors, and most frequent words in the publications. We found 177 documents published between 1967 and 2019, with a significant increase over the last 10 years. The Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge hosted 39% of the publications. Brazil represented by the Universities: Paraíba State, Paraíba Federal and Pernambuco Rural Federal led 44% of the publications. Alves RRN was the most prominent author, maintaining a high index of publications since 2005. Conservation, animals, knowledge, remedies, fishing communities and folk medicine were the most frequent words in the publications. Despite, ethnozoology to be a traditional science, with more than 50 years since its first published study; Scientific knowledge about ethnozoology has been concentrated in the last 10 years, being mainly developed by Brazilians, who have published in international impact journals. The most relevant words demonstrated that knowledge about the use of animals as fishing resources and folk medicine has major implications for the conservation of biodiversity.